Science behind the scores

Complex science. Simple decisions.

Our methods are documented and open. We do the hard work of turning health and climate research into numbers a kitchen can actually cook with.

01

Health Alignment Score

How well does this meal align with healthy eating?

The Health Alignment Score (HAS) condenses decades of nutrition research into a single 0–100 number per meal. We built it with PAN International to measure how closely a dish follows what the evidence says we should eat.

  • Plant Richness

    Vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts & seeds

  • Nutrient Density

    Protein and fibre relative to energy

  • Moderation

    Sodium, saturated fat and free sugars

  • Protein Source

    Quality and type of the dominant protein source

HAS

0–100

Built on established nutrition science

WHOEFSAHealthy Eating IndexNutrient Rich Foods IndexMediterranean DietPlanetary Health Diet

Developed by FOOD2050 × PAN International

Explore the methodology →
02

Climate impact

What is the climate impact of this meal?

We measure climate impact using Eaternity’s methodology and the Daily Food Unit (DFU). Rather than comparing food by weight, the DFU weighs impact against what a food actually gives you nutritionally — so a portion of lentils and a portion of beef finally become comparable.

Beef 100 gLentils 100 gCream 100 gSpinach 100 g

Weight alone tells you nothing about what a food delivers.

Daily Food Unit — DFU

EnergyProteinFatWaterDry weight

CO₂e / DFU

One comparable climate signal per meal.

Based on Eaternity’s Daily Food Unit methodology

Explore the methodology →

Looking for the old models?

Before HAS and the DFU, FOOD2050 scored meals with the Climate Impact Model (CIM) and the Health Impact Model (HIM). Both are still documented in full on our archived methodology page.

Read the full CIM & HIM methodology →

Want to dig into the methodology?

Ask us anything — data sources, formulas, validation studies. We'll show you exactly where every number comes from.